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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22371961">Red Underneath</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slugly/pseuds/Slugly'>Slugly</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Empty Nest [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword &amp; Shield | Pokemon Sword &amp; Shield Versions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(???), Character Study, Fluff, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Main story spoilers, Nonbinary Character, Other, Trans Character, Victor and Gloria are siblings, hop is nb</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:16:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,683</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22371961</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slugly/pseuds/Slugly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Victor has a miniature crisis before the finals.</p><p> </p><p>title from eat, sleep, worry by mree</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hop/Masaru | Victor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Empty Nest [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1610455</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>78</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Red Underneath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is from the same universe as everything is foreign here, but they should be readable separately. I'm using he and they reversibly for Hop: in efh I use he; in this I use they.</p><p>this isn't beta'd because none of my friends are into trainshipping lmao, sorry if it's a mess</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Victor’s body is made of 2% water and 98% anxiety.</p><p>This is it. The Rose fiasco is done and over with, and he’s about to have the most important battle of his life against his best friend’s brother, the undefeated champion of nearly ten years. He trusts in his Pokémon, but not himself. Not at all.</p><p>It’s not that he can’t win. He just doesn’t know what he’ll do if he does.</p><p>Kabu walks past him, all hardened features and eagle eyes, but his expression softens instantly upon seeing Victor’s own. “Nervous?” He smiles tightly, and Victor isn’t sure if it’s supposed to be friendly or not.</p><p>“A bit,” Victor admits. “I don’t know what’s worse, winning or losing.”</p><p>Kabu gives him a huff, the slightest hint of a laugh. “Suppose you’re right. It’s a lot of work being a champion.”</p><p>“Dethroning Leon would probably destroy all of Galar,” Victor moans, hopes Kabu knows he’s being mostly facetious, burying his head in his hands. “He’s the heart of the region.”</p><p>He’s not sure why he wants to confide in Kabu. They’ve never been terribly close. But the look Kabu gives him makes all that melodramatic anguish in the back of his throat dissipate. He’s smiling so softly. Like he’s proud.</p><p>“Don’t sell yourself short, young trainer,” he looks up at Victor, "You have the trappings of a champion yourself."</p><p>With that, he turns on his heel and leaves to get a seat in the bleachers, shoulders back and head high like he has something to prove.</p><p>It helps. But not enough. Victor's hands are shaking.</p><p>He's worried about it a while: Leon is, ultimately, Galar's hero. Not him and Hop, despite the way they managed to defeat Eternatus. Not that it was publicised. No, Leon is an inspiration to everyone in the region.</p><p>Victor remembers very vividly when Leon won the championship at just ten years old. He was four or five at best, watching the match on the telly with Mum and Gloria. When his charizard delivered its final blow against the previous champion's Pokémon, he and his sister <em>lost</em> it. He couldn't stop smiling, not for days. It was the coolest thing he'd ever seen!</p><p>Leon was the reason the twins had decided to be trainers in the first place. Every interview the young champion was on, every commercial he guest-starred in, every battle he recorded, he never failed to inspire awe in everyone, children and adults alike.</p><p>It was how he got to know Hop, too. He'd been playing Champion with Gloria in the front yard when a child their age, wide-eyed and excitable in the ugliest denim skirt Victor had ever seen, ran up to join the game, bragging that they were Leon's very own little sibling.</p><p>Meeting him in person, and knowing Hop as well as he did, that star-struck shock that followed Leon everywhere he went had finally faded for Victor. But it was no question that Leon was important to the people of Galar, more influential than even Chairman Rose had been. He doesn’t want to take that away.</p><p>He doesn’t want to deprive some four year old, watching this match on the telly with his Mum, from experiencing the joy he and Gloria had that day. There’s nothing like Leon's battles.</p><p>Besides. This isn't his dream. He doesn’t know <em>what</em> his dream is, but he knows what one looks like. He sees it in Hop. He saw himself crush it into the dirt when he beat them in semis.</p><p>That sight absolutely broke him. He’s still reeling from the way Hop looked, devastated, tearing up but refusing to cry with cameras and fans all around them. They haven't spoken about the battle since. Hop keeps changing the subject, that easy smile on their face like they don’t care a bit. He knows that isn’t true.</p><p>Speak of Yveltal. He spins around to the sound of sneakers smacking against the tiling, barely managing to stay on his feet as 180 centimetres of gangly teenager crash directly into him. Hop’s arms are wound around his shoulders, forcing his face into the crook of their neck, and embarrassed as he is to be so blatant with PDA around the other trainers still milling about the green room, he can’t help but grin into their jacket, feeling his anxiety dissipate even more.</p><p>“I cannot <em>believe</em> you almost went out on the pitch without letting me wish you luck!” Hop complains, pulling out of the hug. Their hands find their place above his elbows, gentle and just innocuous enough to look platonic. Maybe they’re supposed to be, he doesn’t know. They haven’t really talked about their relationship.</p><p>“Sorry!” Victor matches their dramatic tone. “I didn’t know if you’d cheer for me or <em>him</em>…” he trails off, pretending to be hurt.</p><p>“Oh, come off it,” Hop snorts. Their expression turns soft, and Victor knows it’s making him blush, because Arceus, what doesn’t? “You know I’m cheering for both of you. Of course I want Lee to win his battles, but you’re <em>you</em>, Vic!”</p><p>“I certainly am me,” Victor grins. He wants to be closer, wants to cling to Hop like a grookey until he’s calmed down, but he’s far too shy. Besides, they haven’t nearly enough time to waste for that.</p><p>Hop rolls their eyes. “You know what I mean. You’re my best mate, but you’re also… maybe the only person in Galar who could beat ‘im. If anyone is gonna dethrone Lee, it’s you, Victor.”</p><p>Victor snorts bashfully, looking away. “I don’t know about all that, now,” he laughs uncomfortably. “I’ve lost plenty against you. You could beat him, too. Next season.”</p><p>Hop holds Victor’s face in their hands, expression intense and determined. “Listen, Vic. I mean it. You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met, alright? You can do this.”</p><p>Victor feels his lip quiver as he tries his best to maintain the intense eye contact. Hop’s eyes are so pretty, and he’s so <em>scared</em>, and everything is overwhelming him. “But what if…”</p><p><em>What if I don’t want to be champion?</em> He doesn’t say. Hop searches his expression for meaning.</p><p>“What if what?” they prompt. He looks down, follows the abstract pattern of fluff on their jacket.</p><p>“I don’t… I don’t want to take Leon away. I don’t want to disappoint everyone in Galar by replacing him,” he finally admits, and his eyes fill with tears, but he’s determined not to let them fall. If nothing else, it’d look terrible on camera.</p><p>And he doesn’t want Hop worrying.</p><p>“Geez, that’s it?” Hop barks out a laugh, and Victor’s head whips up as frustration fills his veins. It isn’t funny! He’s terrified!</p><p>“Don’t make fun of me.” Victor pouts, and Hop’s smile drops instantly. They look guilty, which makes him feel worse. “I keep… I keep remembering when Leon won the first time. That day on the telly. How inspired, and… and <em>amazed</em> I was to see someone so young and brave becomin’ the champ.”</p><p>“I didn’t mean to insult you…” they trail off, petting his cheek with the pad of their thumb. “I just can’t imagine anyone being disappointed to see you.”</p><p>Victor furrows his brows. “I’m not like him,” he accuses. “I’m not famous or charismatic or inspiring.”</p><p>“Okay,” Hop agrees, snorting. “But you’re just as young and powerful as Lee was when he won. Imagine all the kids watchin’ right now, the little boys in Motostoke or Hulbury with nickits and scorbunnies, excited to see your thievul and cinderace in action. Waitin’ to see if some small-town teenager can really beat the man who’s been champ since before they were born. People <em>want</em> you to win. We want you to succeed.”</p><p>Victor shuts his eyes tight to stop the relieved tears so close to spilling down his flushed cheeks. He’d never have gotten past even Milo if not for Hop.</p><p>“Thank you,” Victor breathes, letting his hands rest on Hop’s. They’re warm. He doesn’t want them to leave his face.</p><p>“I’m so, so proud of you, Victor,” Hop sighs, and they sound so much closer. He opens his eyes, and <em>oh</em>, they’re <em>right there</em>, and he wonders if they’re going to-</p><p>“Can I kiss you?” they whisper, quiet so no one around them hears. They’re giving him the opportunity to keep their relationship, whatever it is, a secret. He doesn’t want that. Not at all. Not anymore.</p><p>Victor surges forward, kissing Hop himself. They squeak, happy and surprised, and kiss back with matched enthusiasm. He thinks he might hear a couple surprised reactions from the gym trainers and staff around them, but he’s not paying attention. His heart is so full.</p><p>They stand together for a few moments, just basking in each other’s company, when Victor startles to the sound of an announcer from outside. The match is starting soon. In a few minutes, he’ll be out on the pitch, about to fight a match everyone in Galar will see.</p><p>But he isn’t nearly as scared anymore.</p><p>Hop steps back, clapping their hands together. “Right, then! I’ll let you get to it,” they grin, leaning in for another brief peck. “You’ve got this, Champ.”</p><p>“I’ll make you proud,” Victor promises as Hop turns to leave.</p><p>“I know you will! Love you, good luck!” they beam, running out of the green room to take their place in the bleachers next to Mum and Gloria.</p><p>Victor’s heart swells four sizes too big for his chest and his face is on fire. <em>Arceus! </em></p><p>Hop’s never said they loved him before. Sure, he’s felt it, and he’s suspected Hop might, too, but neither of them has ever taken the chance to say it. Certainly not right before such a big match!</p><p>He feels like he’s going through all five stages of grief at once, shocked and a little scared and so, so happy. And then he’s running through the doors and onto the pitch, determined to win this match. For them, like everything else.</p><p>When Leon’s final Pokémon faints, the crowd absolutely erupts. Hop is on the pitch in <em>seconds</em>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>evidently I have lots of trainshipping ideas. it's a lot easier to write in bursts than the... currently 3k of just *prologue* for that nightsilver i'm makin. if you have anything with these two you'd like to see me explore, lmk! my tumblr is @newexcalibur :]</p></blockquote></div></div>
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